Bethel City Council extended the application periods for both the city manager and city attorney positions. Council introduced a budget modification to pay the search firm another $10,000 for the additional recruitment. The city has already paid $28,000 for candidates that council ultimately rejected.
Earlier this month, council members turned down both finalist candidates for city manager due to concerns with their backgrounds. They also rejected the final candidate for city attorney due to a lack of qualifications.
Council member Michelle DeWitt proposed eliminating the requirement that the city attorney live in Bethel.
“We might find a larger panel of potential applicants if people were able to continue living in the communities where they are currently living,” DeWitt said.
The city council agreed unanimously to allow the city attorney to work remotely. However, the Bethel City Manager will still be required to live in Bethel.
The city has not decided how long to keep the application periods open for both positions.